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Swedish King’s cousin plans to make wine in Crimea

Count Jan Bernadotte, a cousin of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, is known as a wine expert and sommelier

© Vladimir Smirnov/TASS

YALTA, September 21. /TASS/. Count Jan Bernadotte, a cousin of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, is planning to make wine on the Crimean peninsula, he told journalists in Yalta on Thursday.

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"I’m here to get acquainted with the Crimean winemaking and select wines for a possible project with Massandra [winery]" he said. "We have worked with a vodka brand before and now we consider options for winemaking development here in Crimea."

The details of this project have not been made public yet. The count’s spokesman told TASS it was only an idea at the moment.

Massandra’s CEO Yanina Pavlenko told journalists that she is ready to discuss joint projects with the count but the decision will be made by presidential property department which runs the winery.

The count added that he intends to promote Massandra wine on the European markets despite sanctions. "I’m not afraid of sanctions," he said.

Count Bernadotte was born in 1941 in Sweden. He is a grandchild of Swedish Prince Carl Wilhelm Ludvig, Duke of Sodermanland and Russian princess Maria Pavlovna, granddaughter of Emperor Alexander II. In Europe he is known as a wine expert and sommelier.

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